CCA to install fully automated ACPaQ mixed pallet technology

Coca-Cola Amatil will install Swisslog’s ACPaQ fully automated palletising technology as part of a major expansion of its Auckland distribution centre.

The robot-based order picking system was selected by food and beverage giant Coca-Cola Amatil as part of the automation and major expansion of its Auckland distribution centre.

The ACPaQ technology to be installed in Auckland this year is an evolution of Swisslog’s advanced automation technology, which combines robotics for palletising and de-palletising with Swisslog’s CycloneCarrier shuttle technology to create a fully automated process that facilitates high throughput and reliable picking of orders for logistics, distribution, food and beverage and retail applications.

General manager – supply chain for Coca-Cola Amatil NZ John Truscott said the new system will enable the business to keep pace with increased demand along with rising expectations on the quality of customer deliveries.

“The whole picking system will be fully integrated using Swisslog SynQ software, which also controls automated delayering of single product pallets into individual cases,” he said.

CCA has been using a fully automated pallet storage system in both Auckland and Northmead since 2007, and the expansion into robotic picking allows the company to meet rising customer demand while reducing costs and improving quality, efficiency and predictability in its operations.

The heart of the new system will be three Swisslog RowPaQ robot cells, which can each handle up to four cases simultaneously and stack up to 1,000 cases per hour into multi-product pallet loads ready for customer delivery.

The new installation will also includes Swisslog’s multilevel shuttle storage system, CycloneCarrier, which quickly delivers sequenced cases to the robots, all linked with pallet and case conveyors.

The ACPaQ system will be installed this year and replaces a manual, voice directed picking system but will link with the existing automated pallet store to create a seamless operation.